Just a Day Away
by theroyalseabird
Summary: "You are such a fool James Potter!" Lily shrieked, throwing her hands in the air and walking forwards up the stairs. However, she was shadowed by his tall figure. "Fool? Please, Evans you were the one who lost first. You told me to leave you alone and then you came to me asking for help. Whos the fool now?" James smiled, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He didnt seem at all both
1. Chapter 1

_( One Million Words )_

She hadn't realised the true consequences of her request. Not until the words were out in the open and he had already heard them being spoken out loud. But in that heated moment, Lily felt like she had won the ongoing battle between Potter and her. Her green eyes burned into his soul, her eyebrows knitted together in an angry frown. But her triumph only lasted a second before James Potter folded his arms. A crooked smile appeared on his handsome face.

"You know what Evans? I think I might" James nodded. His muscular frame spun around, and he began to march off down the narrow hallway of the moving Hogwarts Express. The bloke had stuffed his hands in his pockets on his way down the hallway, until he disappeared behind some seventh year students who stopped to watch their argument. It took all her might for the ginger to not scream at the top of her lungs.

James Potter was an impossible boy, with ego as high as the Astronomy Tower in Hogwarts. He was handsome for some part, and painfully enough she had to admit it. His wild hair that never payed attention. His hazel eyes. His spectacles that were just the perfect size for him. His clothes, never neat and always messy like. Yet somehow, with every single girl inside the castle, the devilishly handsome Marauder focused all of his ego and flirtatious charisma on Lily Evans. She didn't understand why, and no matter how many times she tried to figure it out, the question always remained unanswered. However, at this exact hour, Lily Evans decided that she hated James Potter.

Turning around, Lily Evans stomped down the hallway into the compartment which was occupied by her and her friends.

"Uh oh" Mary Macdonald spoke, looking up from her copy of the Daily Prophet. "The steam thats coming from your ears and the absence of the sugar quills I requested clearly means that something arose that is way more important than my diet."

Mary Macdonald loved her candy. And it didnt take a complete genius to understand why. It was clear to every friend that Macdonald owned, that she was trying to hide her pain with the sweetness, that every food with sugar involved. Mary wasnt a popular girl, but she did have rather unfortunate luck with boys. She had long legs, naturally tanned skin. Brown doe eyes and black hair which dropped down to the top of her shoulders.

"James Potter-" Lily began, raising her hands in an exasperated motion.

"Is an egositic idiot" Anna Jenkins finished, slipping the bookmark inside the yellowed pages of the book she was reading. She lay the book on the seat neatly beside her, placing her hands on her knees and looking up at Lily calmly. "Spill."

Lily lifted her eyes to look at her friend. Anna however, was an extremely pretty girl. She had long straight brown hair. Over the summer she had dyed some of it red, and the glistening colour shown brightly once the light sun rays were upon it. She had a round doll like face, with round oval eyes. Her irises were the mysterious colour grey, that only lucky people like her could achieve. She was the kind of girl that could get any boy if she wanted to. Yet somehow, Anna Jenkins managed to reject almost every request without a hesitant flutter of her lashes.

"Yes. Do tell us the most unfortunate event that got in between me and my sugar quills" Mary muttered, folding her own copy of the Daily Prophet and setting it down beside her.

"Theres nothing to tell" Lily said, her voice low with annoyance she sat down in her previous seat beside the window. Her elbow rested against the cold glass, holding up her head. The ginger closed her tired eyes amd let out a deep sigh. "I refuse to play his stupid game" she stated firmly.

"Hmph" Anna shrugged, picking up her book once more and opening it back to the pages which she was reading, before the interruption.

"Well... I suppose there is some good news" Mary said. "We should be arriving at Hogwarts soon and that means shortly we shall be sitting at the feast, diving into the dearly missed food that only the house elves of Hogwarts could make" she finished longingly. Lily raised her eyebrows at Mary, sharing an uncertain look with Anna who looked at both of her friends through the top of her book.

"Bonkers" Sirius chortled, once James had finished with his story. "And you think she will fall first?" he asked.

"You sound as though you are doubting my plans, Pad" James smiled slyly lifting his legs and setting them on the empty seat beside him. His hands folded behind his head as he rested it against the wall of the train. "I know she will fall first. Certainly it wont be me, and if I get drunk enough to want to fall first. Catch me will ya?" he requested. Sirius chuckled again.

"Don't worry Prongles, we have your back in this one. Speaking of we, where has Remus gone off to? Although, I doubt he is having more fun than us" he added, as a matter of fact.

"I suspect he is at the prefect meeting" Peter offered, looking up at his two best friends from an open box of Berty Bots Every Flavoured Beans.

"Then he is definitely not having more fun than us" Sirius stated, as he spoke, the door of the compartment opened and Remus slipped inside. His robe swung around his scrawny frame and he pushed James' feet off his seat before seating himself down. "You don't seem happy Moony" Sirius pointed out.

"Rowena is Slytherins female prefect" the prefect grumbled, folding his arms. James sat up from his lying position.

"You mean Rowena Greene?" he asked, widening his eyes but a grin began to appear on his face. "Oh dear we are in trouble" the Marauder grinned.

 _( Feast... )_

"As for new staff change, I am pleased to introduce Professor Chaster Banks, who will be taking post as our new defence against the dark ats teacher this year" Dumbledore spoke. A lean skinny wizard stood up. He had a dark face about him, his black hair covering the colour of his eyes from sight and a shaggy beard covering most of his mouth. His clothes were tattered and old and he seemed, alomost tired. Like he had been travelling by foot rather than on train or by floo powder. The wizard grinned, nodding his head politely at the sound of clapping students, and he sat back down. Disappearing into shadows that were overcast on his part of the table.

"Hes rather handsome isn't he?" Mary spoke up.l

"Macdonald please" Clare spoke, annoyance in her voice. "Hes a teacher" she pointed out.

"I know! I am just stating facts" the girl defended herself. "I don't see why I cant state a fact without receiving your annoyance."

"Well, for a fact you have ruined everything else for me by stating facts so I have decided you can no longer state them" the blonde responded. Mary was about to speak again, but she was silenced by Lilys annoyed voice and look.

"I would like you to enjoy this year, rather than find yourself wishfully thinking you were in a world where these troubles didnt exist. And now, I shall give the job of boring you to your teachers. Eat up!" Dumbledore smiled, raising his hands. The tables filled with food.

"Its a shame, Professor Shill had to leave" Lily said, facing the table and beginning to fill her plate with food. "I rather liked him. He was a great teacher" she muttered.

"Jsut because you got an O" Clare Klareder pointed out. Her blue eyes looked up at her friend and she grinned, presenting perfect pearly whites. Long blonde hair adorned the girl, that was plated neatly into a side plait. "Although, he was rather funny" she agreed beginning to place small forkfuls of food into her mouth and chewing.

"How was your summer Anna?" Clare asked after a moment of silence. Her friend turned her head and shrugged.

"Fine. I dyed my hair" the girl announced. Clare waited for more, perhaps more exciting news to come from her friend but when Anna continued eating the blonde sighed.

"Anything exciting happen? For example... I went on a cruise."

"I... dyed my hair?" Anna repeated, frowning as she did so.

"Lily please help me out here?"

"I don't know Clare. Dying hair is a big change and extremely exciting" Mary spoke up before her ginger friend could.l

"I didnt do anything divine either this summer" Lily admitted. "My family did visit Spain for a month however. Honestly I have never seen more exquisit food" she mused, taking a bite from a carrot stick. The gingers eyes flew down the large table distractedly, spotting familiar faces on the way until they settled on the Marauders. They were talking among themselves naturally and quitely, before at least one of the, errupted into a loud laughter while the other ones shared a mere chuckle. Lilys eyes burned at James until she turned them away to face Mary and her news about her summer.

 _( Moonlit Walk... )_

Only two hours passed until the Great Hall was completely empty. The prefects, Head Girls and Head Boys called out to the first year students to follow them to the their dormitories. Tired faces, glanced around the hall of Hogwarts, either climbing up the stairs to the towers or going down the stairs to the dungeons to find their dormitories. Students wished they were in bed resting before their first day of lessons tomorrow.

Rowena Greene wandered the halls silently. She kept glancing behind her shoulder, watching out for any teachers or Filch and his god forsaken cat. The halls were empty, and only the sound of her footsteps alone echoed in her ears.

"Greene" a rough voice called. Rowena nearly jumped out of her skin, biting her tongue to not shriek out in surprise and fear. Her heart beat fast against her chest and she glanced around her wildly.

"Remus. What are you doing here?" the girl spoke. Her icy blue eyes could be seen through the darkness, focusing on the handsome face of the boy in front of her. Her black, long curly hair was pulled up in a neat bun, with two wisps of hair escaping from each temple. She was a head shorter than the boy in front of her, and she had to look up to be able to make out his eyes. His cold eyes.

"You could have written to me you know. Told me you were a prefect too" Lupin spoke, stepping into the light that the moon befell upon the two students. His scarred face aas illuminated by the white light of the moon. He had his hands behind his back, and he looked down at the girl he addressed. A prefect badge, exactly like the one Rowena wore, shined on his robes.

"I didnt think thats what you wanted" Rowena admitted sheepishly. "After all... I did the most unforgivable thing imaginable" she sneered. His words echoed in her mind for a long time throughout the summer.

"Don't take me for a fool Greene. I just - I was" Remus was stuck for words.

"What? Afraid. Thought so. You are a coward Remus Lupin, and it doesnt take a broken heart to see that. Now if you excuse me, I should get back to my dormitory before I get caught. Wouldn't want a detention on my first day back" the girl spoke. She spun around, and began to walk towards the dungeons.

Remus watched her thin biuld get engulfed by the darkness. The boy leaned against the wall, running his hands through his hair in exasperation. A trick he seemed to pick up from James. Gritting his teeth, the Marauder began to walk towards the main staircase, ready to begin his climb towards Gryffindor tower.

* * *

 **I sincerely apologise for this crappy first chapter. Hence it being my first time using this website it took a long long while to get the hang of, but anyhow, I hope you enjoyed it! I love the Marauders series too much *^* Please feel free to leave Reviews and such and give me any hints on improving my writing! I love them all thank you! - Royal**


	2. Chapter 2

_( The Words of a Liar )_

"Was she angry?" Sirius asked, appearing from the bathroom after he had fixed his tie on himself. His hair falling messily on his shoulders, and his uniform sticking out at every end possible. His shirt was wrinkled and half buttoned. His tie hung loosely, and he hadn't even bothered looking around his trunk for his jumper.

"She called me a coward" Remus said, glancing up from his book bag in search of his wand.

"Ouch" Sirius muttered, wincing. Remus nodded, sitting himself down.

"I feel like I really messed this one up" he finally said after a long pause of silence. Sirius watched his friend for a moment. He had thought about Rowena and Remus for exactly one day throughout the summer, and that was when the event happened.

"Listen mate. I hate to see you so hung up over one birdie who flew away on her own accord. We have tried to tell you many times that it was not your fault. Everyone has a little bit too much to drink. Heck! I remember that one time when I drank so much I nearly shagged a lad. Oh don't give me that look! It was no one in palrticular and so over the top of the mistakes I have made. How abouts, we get James and Petey tonight and plant a stink bomb in Filches office?" Sirius offered, picking his friend up off the bed and dusting off his uniform.

( The door to the boys dormitory swung open and James and Peter slipped inside. "Whats happened?" James asked groggily.

"Prongs. Have you fallen asleep on the common room couch again?" Sirius laughed, slapping his friends back.

"I had a late night walk. Then I decided to wait up for Moony but he was already back by the time I awoke. Which was... exactly five minutes ago when Peter threw a pillow at me" James said, looking at his bare wrist as if he was checking the time. James proceeded to walk past his friends and to his trunk.

Lily Evans sat down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, accompanied by Clare who much like her, was an early bird. (The other girls from their dormitory called it unnatural to be up so early) . She scanned the large tables full of breakfast meals and students chattering happily between each other. The Marauders sat at the very front, quietly discussing matter which could only concern them. James Potter had turned his head slightly, mid-laugh, spotted Lily staring and raised an eyebrow at her.

The ginger averted her eyes.

Ever since their argument on the train, Lily Evans had promised herself that this, was the last time she was going to fall for any of his tricks again. She refused to let herself believe that James Potter had a control over her temper and she refused-

"Lily!"

The voice of her friend woke her up from her thoughts. Her green eyes focused on an annoyed looking Clare who glared at her stiffly.

"Did you even hear what I was talking about?" she snapped.

"Huh? Oh. Uh - yeah. Something about Kevin?" Lily offered, praying that, that was in fact the topic of their discussion. Clare narrowed her eyes.

"I was saying that hes been rather... distant" she muttered sadly, dropping her spoon in her bowl of cereal.

"Perhaps hes just distracted by all the NEWTs? I mean, they are rather important" Lily said. Clare sighed, dropping her head to rest on her folded arms in front of her uneaten breakfast. She huffed, blowing a loose strand of hair out of her eyes.

"Whats wrong Klareder?" Mary spoke, sitting down in front of her, to Lilys left. She was accompanied by Anna, who glanced down at the food which was offered, wrinkled her nose and pushed it away. The brunette quickly unzipped her book bag, fetching out a thick hard cover book and opening it on the right page, began to read.

"Shes worried about Kevin" Lily explained. Mary chortled, nearly spilling her pumpkin juice over Annas book. The girl raised her eyes and glared at her friend unfriendly like before moving her book out of the way of Marys direction.

"Is he cheating? With what he already has I'm not surprised." Clare wailed, burying her face with her hands.

"I knew it! Im not good enough" the girl hiccoughed. Lily glared at Mary.

"Come on Clare. Kevin isn't cheating. He is a nice bloke and seriously much more than that. I know for a fact hes not cheating. Kevin cheating would be the equivalent of... of... of me dating James Potter" Lily confirmed, nodding her head proudly. Mary chortled again. Clare sighed.

"Hes been like that all summer! We barely wrote to each other, and when we would meet up hed avoid my eyes and - and I don't feel the same spark from him as I felt before its just been... hard."

"Oh get over yourself Klareder" Mary rolled her eyes. "Hes a bloke. You know how blokes are. They never behave" she added, continuing to indulge into her food.

"You would know! Your standards are worse than Jamie Latersons and thats saying something!" Clare snapped, looking up suddenly. Her voice was raised angrily.

"At least I know that love isn't for me anymore! More than you. You keep trying and failing. That Clare, wont get you anywhere" Mary countered. "But don't worry sweetheart. I will be right there in the dormitory telling you I told you so when Kevin actually breaks up with you" she added sweetly. The other stared at her friend incredulously, before getting up and picking up her bag.

"Ill see you in defense" she snapped, before walking down the Great Hall and disappearing around the corner.

"Speaking of which. I need to grab my books. See you guys" Mary added stiffly, abandoning her food she grabbed her own book bag and stomped down the Great Hall too.

Lily exchanged a look with Anna. Her friend had a bored expression upon her.

"Theyll never get along will they?" Lily asked, with an annoyed sigh.

"Nope" Anna confirmed, before lowering her eyes back to her book.

 _( Class... )_

Defense against the dark arts with Professor Banks was one of the best lessons the students of Hogwarts had ever experienced. He was funny, spontaneous and a great teacher all at the same time, yet something about him said that he had been in danger before. In real danger. Something about him, was rather dark. But before the hour was up, Lily felt like she had learned more than she did with Professor Shill in a week. Lily had taken a seat, intending for Clare to join her, but when Professor Banks voice could be heard from the back of the classroom, it was obvious her friend wasn't showing up.

The students had turned around, to get a look at the source of the deep husky voice.

"People you trust" the voice had spoken. He began to walk to the front of the classroom, looking as shaggy and worn down as the day before at the feast. His wand was gripped in his hands, which were resting behind his back. "People you trust come from different directions. None of them right. Even your closest friend will turn their back on you once danger is near. There is a reason, why the fight or flight question exists. It is quite obvious to pick the flight option, yet it is not always the right option. For instance" he spun around, finally facing the class and looked at each student in turn.

"You can be stuck between two dangers looming closer. A werewolf on your left, and a death eater on your right. Fleeing in either direction will only get you closer to death with each step. Going backwards or forwards will only get you twice the amount of pursuit than necessary. What do you do? Mr. Lupin" Banks smiled, glancing at the Marauder who sat beside Peter Pettigrew at the back of the class. "What do you do?" Remus, shrunk in his seat. The Marauders exchanged an uncomfortable look.

"I er - I stun the werewolf" he swallowed. "And begin running forwards. The werewolf is clearly faster than the death eater, and while I run I can try dodge every spell and uhm stun the death eater in turn when the moment is right before finding a place to hide from the werewolf."

Professor Banks narrowed his eyes, keeping a still gaze on Remus before smiling widely. "Good" he spoke. "However, your teacher is not Mr. Lupin. He is I. And my job is to teach you how to avoid death at all costs. Now, pair up. Girl.. what is your name?" Banks asked, pointing at Lily.

"Lily Evans professor."

"Your partner is absent. You may join these two girls over here" he pointed to Mary and Anna.

The dark arts lesson proceeded to be rather exciting. Unlike the start, where everyone could feel the tension building up with each sentence professor Banks spoke. Lily, Anna and Mary began off with a simple essay on each of the three unforgivable curses. But when the writing part of the lesson had ended, each of the pairs of students took it in turns to cast simple hexes at each other and practice how to disarm.

"Spectacular!" Professor Banks grinned, clapping his hands and shaking his mane of dark shaggy hair with the movement. "Absolutely fantastic. Now, you may have the day off homework... but! Remember..." he stated as a few Slytherins let out a whoop of joy. "This is in fact, the last time I let you pair up by yourselves and let you get away by doing no homework. Now, be gone! You may leave five minutes early."

"What the hell was that all about" James spoke, swinging his bag over his shoulder and proceeding to follow his friends out of the classroom.

"That" Sirius began. "Was the most random but bloody brilliant class of defense we've ever had. Of course hes a complete nutter. I mean come on, he began with - grim talk about dying."

"You don't think he knows, do you?"

The Marauders all glanced at Remus. Sirius wrapped his arm around his friends, much thinner frame and shook his head. "Come on Moony. I told you, hes a complete nutter. How could he know? Pure coincidence if it was up to me to decide. How about we go plant that stink bomb I promised you earlier?"

Rowena tailed the Marauders anxiously. She was accompanied by Susan Parkinson, one of her fellow dorm mates and her best friend. Susan was the exact opposite of Rowena. While her friend had long flowy black hair with friendly summer curls at the bottom, Susans hair was blonde, and completely and strictly straight. It fell down to just below her shoulders so the only hairstyle the girl could accomplish was a small neat ponytail. Even then, some loose short hairs sprung out from every direction. She had brown eyes. She never wore makeup, and you could tell, by the amount of rushing Susan done in the mornings and by the state of her bed and dresser, that she was extremely unorganized. Susan was not a thin girl, but she wasn't so round either.

"Bit strange wasn't he?" Rowena asked, distractedly stepping down the stairs while her eyes focused on the back of Remus' head.

"Huh? Banks? Oh, yeah. I dunno, he seemed weird like" Susan agreed, nodding while she looked through her bag for something.

"I mean, he's a great teacher. I've learned more than I did with Shill last year... he's just... strange" Rowena spoke again. Susan made an agreeing noise, not taking her eyes off her bag. "Although, I suppose I would be too. Coming to a new school looking like that. He looked like he hadn't slept in weeks if you get me? I dunno I feel like he was-"

"Hey Greene!" the loud snide yell attracted the attention of the Slytherin girl, and the few others students heading for the Great Hall after their defense against the dark arts class. Rowena stopped and looked back.

"Hi Mulciber. Finished with your chew toy Snape then?" she asked, bored like taking her eyes off his figure and turning back around. Susan stopped fidgeting with her bag, sending a mean glare in the boys direction. Rowenas eyes met everyone who had stopped too. They all looked at the approaching Mulciber, with anticipation of an argument or a duel.

"No. I would like to know why you ratted on me last night. You were out after hours too. Frolicking around with one of them" Mulciber nodded. His gang paced after him, all smiling slyly at Rowena. The girl swallowed.

"I am a prefect, I was looking for a lost first year. You however, had no business being out of your dormitory. Besides, Remus and I are BOTH prefects if you haven't noticed" Rowena replied protectively, her voice simple.

"I got a detention because of you" Mulciber growled lowly.

"Learned your lesson then? Good, I'll be on my way-" Rowena said, turning back around and beginning to climb down the stairs. Lily Evans stood in the far side of the crowd, trying to make her friends leave with her. The croon grabbed Rowenas wrist spinning her around and she flinched. Within a second wands were out. Susan pointed at one of Mulcibers pals. Each of the Marauders had theirs pointing at Mulciber. The lad raised his eyes, looking at the number of possible injuries that might befall him. Calmly letting go of her wrist, Mulciber smiled.

"Getting cosy with the Gryffindors? That wont get you no where Greene. I'll see you in the common room" he said, before turning around and motioning for his pals to follow him back up the moving staircase.

"Asshole" Sara glared, pocketing her wand and joining her side. "Are you okay? Did he hurt your wrist?" she asked, looking at her friend. Rowena shook her head, returning her eyes back to the direction she was headed. A few disappointed Slytherins and Gryffindors, began to walk towards their destination again. Clearly annoyed that nothing exciting had happened.

"You alright Greene?" Sirius Black called out, resting his arm on Remus' shoulder. "Did our baby friend M-m, hurt you?"

"No... I'm okay thanks though" Rowena muttered. Her eyes fluttered past Remus who had been looking down at the floor. "Really" she nodded, and pushed past the four lads, following the footsteps of Lily and her friends towards the Great Hall.

 _( That Night... )_

"Has anyone seen Clare at all since the morning?" Lily asked, concerned. She sat, in her pajamas looking at the empty bed of her friend. A frown of concern clearly shown.

Mary emerged from the bathroom with a toothbrush in her mouth. "No. She wasn't in Care of Magical Creatures" she muttered, looking rather worried and guilty. Lily sighed. The door of the dormitory opened and Lily and Mary looked up with hopeful faces. Anna stopped in her tracks in the doorway glancing at her friends and then frowning.

"Whatever it was... I promise I'll fix it" she muttered closing the door behind her to drown out the noise of the common room. "James, Sirius, Peter and Remus have decided to throw a small party and a game of exploding snaps. I saw Peter and Remus eyeing me while I was doing my homework so I ran away. What happened?" she asked, loosening her tie and hooking it on her bed.

"Were worried about Clare. She's not in the common room is she?" Lily asked hopefully. Anna shook her head, throwing off her jumper and buttoning up her pajama shirt. "I havent seen her all day. She wasn't present in Ancient Runes and Divination" she pointed out.

Lily let out a small sigh. She glanced at her friends bed again and then plopped her head on her soft pillow looking up at the ceiling of her four post bed. "I might call it a night. If shes not here by tomorrow I will go to Professor McGonagall and report her missing. I mean, Clare never misses classes. Yet alone on her first day" she pointed out.

"Telling McGonagall may be a good call. But she might just be somewhere out with Kevin right? Perhaps dilly dallying around the castle some place" Mary offered hopefully, looking down at her hands. It was clear, she felt responsible for Clare going missing after their small argument in the morning. Lily nodded, reaching up to close the curtains. "Night" she wished her friends before letting the red curtains of Gryffindor girls dormitory surround her bed. Laying down, and covering herself with the duvet Lily closed her eyes and pondered. There was no place Clare knew where she could hide. There was no way her friend would miss the first day of school. Kevin. Ask Kevin tomorrow. Maybe he was going to tell her something about her friends sudden disappearance. Finally, drowning out the small talk between Anna and Mary, Lily let herself drift off to sleep.

A cold shiver ran down Lilys spine the next morning. She was woken up by a shrill high pitched scream. Quickly pushing away the bed covers and stumbling out of bed, she followed Anna, Mary and Katelyn Shelps (their fifth dorm mate) out of the girls dormitory. Down the spiral staircase. Lily pushed through the crowd of Gryffindors until she was at the front. Her voice hitched, as the ginger gasped. Clare lay in the middle of the room. Her eyes looking up at ceiling unseeing. Her pretty and beautiful face was bruised, and her uniform was soaked in blood on various parts.

"I just - I just found her there" a first year wailed, into her friends jumper. She was surrounded by her fellow dorm mates, all consoling her and cooing to her to calm down. Lily took a brave step forward, bending down beside Clares body and leaning forward. Her friends chest was barely moving.

"Shes alive! Quick! Someone call Madame Pomfrey!" Lily screeched getting to her own feet and looking around.

"I'll get professor McGonagall" Mary announced, slipping out of the common room too. Anna moved forwards and grabbed Lilys hand, rubbing her back gently with the other one.

Lily felt afraid. Whatever attacked Clare looked like it wasn't even human. The scratches on her body seemed deep, and were still trickling blood down her pretty pale face. Her eyes didn't blink and her face was stuck in a permanent frown. Lily felt her heart beat faster and faster. Suddenly, she was afraid for her friend and afraid for herself as selfish as that may have sounded. Shakily sitting down on the ground, Lily pressed her back against the sofa looking up at the students gathered. They all stared at the unmoving blonde with horror and shock, others had retreated back to their dormitories, possibly to recover or just to get away from the grim sight. Lilys eyes met James'. He looked sympathetic, almost sorry for her but soon he directed them away. The ginger returned her own gaze to the friend that was still by her side. Anna looked just as shocked and shaken. Possibly one of the rare emotions to cross her perfect face. Missing. Scream. Blood.

* * *

 ** _Hey! Heres chapter two! I hope you like it /(0-0)\ Please keep reviewing I love reading them! Thank you for keeping up with the story so far and I hope you are enjoying it! Expect chapter 3 anytime next week... hopefully... - Royal_**


	3. Chapter 3

_( Burning Questionnaire... )_

"Miss Evans please."

Lily turned her eyes upwards. Her green orbs focused on the concerned face of McGonagall. A feather in her hand a parchment full of paper in front of her. She looked at the young youth for a few seconds, trying to process if she had heard her. McGonagall definitely looked tired. She had bags under her eyes, and she could barely keep her eyes straight at Lily. Her skin was worn down more than usual and she was breathing heavy breaths.  
"Sorry. What?" Lily spoke.

"I asked if Clare had behaved any differently before you found her" McGonagall questioned. Lily blinked, furrowing her eyebrows together, trying to think. Clare, last night... What happened last night? "Miss Evans I understand this is hard, it is no question that you two were close. I just need your cooperation, Clare will get better if we understand what happened" McGonagall spoke reassuringly.

"No" was her ivory reply. "She was just her normal Clare self" Lily spoke, a stray tear appearing at the corner of her eye. McGonagall managed a silent nod dropping her quill and bringing her hands to her face. The professor rubbed her tired eyes and let out a deep sigh.  
"You are free to go, Miss Evans" McGonagall smiled again, standing up and walking to her students side.  
"Professor, whatever did that thing to Clare, it's still somewhere here isn't it?" Lily asked. The teacher looked her favourite student, right in the eyes. Yet somehow, she couldn't manage to say the truth. Yes it was. Instead what came out was, "We have found no trace of anything out of the ordinary. I assure you Lily, you are safe. Now I suggest you go and visit Clare before class, I'm sure she'd like that."

Lily stood up, picking up her bag and turning to leave the office. "Thank you professor" she muttered, and left the office without another word. As Lily, stepped down the small steps, the next student to be questioned stood from his chair. James Potter, with his hands stuffed in his pockets brushed past Lily lightly, but without a single glance. He knew she was troubled, but he couldn't give up on the game either.

Lily bit her lip. Her hands were in pockets of her cloak, her right hand neatly gripping her wand. As she walked down the hallway and towards the Great Hall to meet up with Mary and Anna her mind played over the possible things that could have happened to Clare.

1\. She got into a duel with a student. That idea was practically impossible since Clare was the victim. She never picked a duel but if she did happened to get into one, she wouldn't let herself be as hurt as Lily found her.  
2\. She got attacked. Clearly but by what. What could possibly roam the halls of the school that would mean any student any harm.  
3\. ...

She was still working on possibility number three.

 _( The Slytherin Common Room and the Whispering Rumors... )_

"I heard she got nearly eaten alive by a werewolf!"  
"What no! She was attacked by someone."  
"I saw her with my own eyes. She was all chopped up it was horrible."

Rowena couldn't help herself. Every single statement thrown around the Slytherin common room, by every first year sounded absolutely ridiculous. They had a lot of imagination to spare so it seemed. Clare wasn't eaten alive by a werewolf. But she was attacked. The whole Gryffindor house was packed outside McGonagalls office, waiting to be questioned. Every Gryffindor, was absent from the first three classes.

"They're so childish" Susan spoke, slamming her book down onto the table. Rowena jumped from her daydream, looking at her best friend. A slight smile slipped onto her gentle face.  
"They are first years" she reasoned.  
"Yeah but come on. 'She was all chopped up'" Susan mimicked the voice of the girl who had spoken. "What rats ass. She had cuts and bruises all over her body, she wasn't brought to Pomfrey in cubes" Susan fumed, flicking angrily through the pages of the book. Rowena watched her with amusement, until a shadow fell onto the two girls.

"Rowena did you get question two to the Transfiguration homework? I can't seem to work it out and the class is in..."  
"Yeah Sev it was to hold your wand momentarily forward until something tickled your nose. Severus are you okay? You look a bit pale" Rowena said examining the boys face.

Of course being pale was a natural look for Severus Snape. His skin looked paper white, against his black greasy hair, dark eyes and the dark Hogwarts uniform. It was also in a heap. His tie half hidden between his collar and jumper. "I'm fine. I just didn't get to finish it yesterday" he muttered sheepishly, retreating backwards to his own corner where he had been working on his homework previously.

"Were you out with Mulciber?" Rowena asked, stiffly. Severus stopped in his tracks, he spun around and nodded, shamefully. Susan rolled her eyes.  
"He's using you" she blurted out, finally finding the page she was looking for previously. Rowena glared at her friend and then looked back at Severus, but the boy had already disappeared back to his corner. The girl began to scribble onto the page. "You know what's scary?" she asked. Rowena, waited silently for the answer. "The fact that you look exactly like Rowena Ravenclaw is describe in Hogwarts a History" Susan chuckled.

"Oh shut up. It's a curse enough already" Rowena laughed, fishing her own book out from her bag. Her eyes looked across the room, as she bent down to reach for her back. Across the room, leaning against the wall, Mulciber stood watching her carefully. His eyes surveyed her every movement, and once their gaze met he grinned a big toothy smile. Ever since their argument the previous day, Rowena scarcely found herself not being watched by him. It was like, he was looking for the exact and perfect time to strike his revenge for the detention she had given him. And every time, she looked away, his voice rang in his ears "Getting cosy with the Gryffindors? Frolicking around with one of them."

Rowena had done everything she could to forget Remus over the summer. But it proved to be harder than she thought. Remus didn't just leave a scar, he gave her something to look forward to every day when they were together. Every time her eyes grazed his, she wished she could fall into his arms and smell the scent he carried. Forest, leaves, wind, safety. He was everything to her but the remaining summer proved that Rowena wasn't everything to him.

"Okay. I'm finished, you coming?" Susan asked, putting her book back into her bag. She stood up, waiting for her friend, who in turn, followed suit.  
"What do we have now?" Rowena asked.  
"Potions with the Gryffindors."

 _( Bubbling Potions... )_

Finally, set free of McGonagalls evil and persuasive glare and the never ending questions, the Gryffindors lined up with the Slytherins in the dungeons, waiting for Professor Slughorn to let them into the classroom.  
"What did she ask you?" Peter asked, glancing at Remus. Remus took his blue eyes away from Rowena, who had been laughing at something Susan had said. Her eyes lit up the usual way they did when she laughed, melodious and gorgeous. She closed her eyes, and the most beautiful expression fell on her face. Distracted by Peters question, Remus turned his eyes to look at his best friend.

"Same things as you really. She asked how well I knew Clare and such" he shrugged. The door to the potions room opened and Slughorn beckoned the students to pile inside. One by one the Gryffindors and Slytherins walked inside, taking seats and tables.

"Ah okay I think it's about time we separated the magic bunch here" Slughorn spoke, a big grin plastered on his face as he walked up to the table where the Marauders all sat at. "Mr Lupin is it? Why don't you go sit with Miss Greene, Mr Jacobs and Miss Parkinson. Mr Potter you can join Miss Evans table. Ah that's right Miss Evans I expect to see you at the next Slug Club meeting, I'll be sending Owls. We're missing someone? Ah that's right... Miss er... Klareder can join Mr Black and Mr Pettigrew when she's better and Mr (Mulciber) I dare say you cannot add an extra chair to a singular table. You can join Mr Black and Mr Pettigrews table" Slughorn smiled widely as the named students began to move to the appointed tables.

Exchanging a glance with James, Remus grabbed his stuff unwillingly and moved over to the table where an empty chair stood. Seating himself down beside Rowena, the boy shifted uncomfortably in his place. Rowena's eyes didn't fall on him, in fact she looked everywhere else but him. Merlin Jacobs sat beside Susan. A lone Gryffindor sitting at a table of Slytherins. This was going to be a very uncomfortable year.

As soon as Mulciber; to Sirius' and Peters dismay, seated himself at the table, Slughorn turned to the board and began explaining the potion they were all to prepare in pairs a couple of minutes later. Remus gazed at the board in front of him, the words written in chalk on the black surface seemed to drift out of his gaze. He looked around the classroom, taking in the bored and dumbfounded faces of every students in the class. James, with a wide grin sat beside Lily surveying the board. A wall of tenseness seemed to be standing in between them. Sirius and Peter, muttering angrily under their noses sent death glares to Slughorn and Mulciber.

"You may begin!"

Remus shifted from his daze, turning his book to the appointed page and looked at the cauldron in between him and Rowena. "Right so uhm" Rowena said, putting a lot of effort into making herself look busy. "We need..." She turned her blue eyes to the book again, reading the first step over and over again. Remus watched her and scanning the words in his own book he looked at the ingredients laid out on the table. "Water" he finished for her.

"Yes that's right" Rowena nodded with a smile. He was a whole four feet taller than her, and glancing down at her, trying her best to avoid his gaze made it feel almost painful. "Rowena you know..." he began but he was cut short but the girl dropping the jug of water into the cauldron. As the contents emptied she grabbed the jug out, and began to work up a flame underneath. "You know you can look at me right?" Remus spoke timidly, as Slughorn walked past them, stopping at the potion that Susan and Merlin were working on. Susan was barking at Merlin for dropping the wrong amount of bubblemint leaves in all at once.

Rowena let a small low sigh escape from her mouth. She nodded glancing up at Remus. With an instant he regretted saying anything. She looked beautiful and just how he had remembered. Unlike the time their relationship ended. "Can you pass me the bubblemint leaves please?" Rowena asked. Remus smiled and with shaking hand he passed her a small plate of the blue leaves that had splotches of green growing out of them. Reading the instructions carefully, Rowena began to pile the leaves into the potion.

"Is it supposed to be so gooey?" Remus asked, emptying a jar of toads blood into the cauldron as Rowena began to stir the substance. She checked her book again and nodded. "Yeah it gets more liquid like after a couple of minutes of stirring" she spoke. Remus nodded, steadying the empty and used equipment in one corner of the table. In front of them, Merlin was stirring their own cauldron while Susan had her nose lowered into the book, her hair standing up as the steam flew up at it. She looked irritated and annoyed while Merlin apologized, but Susan wasn't hearing any of it.

"Well at least ours is better than theirs" Rowena muttered to him. Remus managed a smile.

After the long hour Slughorn had chosen the winner with the best potion. James and Lily took the title and while Slughorn was pointing out the homework, James winked at Remus from the back of the room. Packing up his stuff, the bell announced the finish of the class. Remus picked up his book bag, slowly walking towards his friends when Rowena stopped him by grabbing his arm. "Maybe... maybe we can put the past behind yeah?" She asked uncertainly as Susan scoffed behind her.

Remus' eyes surveyed Rowena's. He glanced in the direction of his friends, expectantly and curiously watching them, and then Susan who had folded her arms. Her hair stood in a bush on top of her head and she looked like she was about to flip if Remus didn't speak soon. "Yeah" he spoke hastily and once free of the hold Rowena had on him, the boy returned to his friends.

* * *

 **So it's been a while... yeah I was in fact really busy thank you for all the loves and follows. They mean a lot :) I'll try add more chapters as soon as I can but my new house currently has no wifi so that might take a while... Thank you for being patient. Love you! - Royal**


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